Unnoticed
by Youko Artemis
Summary: Raimundo watches Omi as he trains and muses on a few things. Drabble. Onesided RaiOmi. Sorta angsty. One Shot, but I might continue it.
1. Raimundo's POV

**_Summary:_** Raimundo watches as Omi trains, and muses on a few things.

**_Disclaimer:_** I do not own Xiaolin Showdown.

**_Warning(s):_** **_ONE-SIDED_** yaoi, as in, a horny guy thinking about another guy, but he doesn't get him. Will be, slightly, angsty. For rather obvious reasons. This will be from Rai's P.O.V.

I like watching Omi train. It's always interesting, watching the kid jump, and pounce, and leap. I like the sight of all of those muscles stretching, rippling. It always surprises me how very muscular he is. I mean, he doesn't really look like very much, but he's easily one of the strongest of us all.

And he's just so…CUTE. Like a teddy bear, or something. He just has this strange way of endearing himself to people. Sure, he can be really annoying at times, but he never really means to be that way. It can be hard to talk to him at times, what with that enormous ego of his, but in general, he's not so bad.

And yeah, his misuse of slang often irritates me to no end, but you just can't help but love him anyways. Or at least, I can't, anyways. I'm not so sure about anyone else, but…yeah…

With all of this in mind, I really can't be all that surprised that I fell in love with him. Love…? Yeah. I fell for the little monk. Hard. But… I just can't help it. I just can't help admiring everything about him. But most of all, his innocence. I'm really pretty surprised he's managed to stay so… Innocent. But really, it should come of no surprise, seeing as he's lived in a temple all his life, and all.

He's so…naïve, so…childish in his ideals that…sometimes I just want to smack him and tell him that that's not how the world works. But I could never do that. For one thing, I'd never catch him off-guard long enough to do so in the first place. Trust me, I've tried once or twice.

Yeah, some people come up to me and are constantly asking me if me and Kimiko will ever possibly get into a relationship with one another, I tell 'em that me an' Kim are just friends. Besides, she's got a boyfriend back in Japan. I've seen, and heard, her conversing with him via email or cellphone. She's totally in love with that guy. So a relationship outside of platonic friendship is an impossibility.

Besides, I've kinda fallen for Omi, as I've stated earlier. He's loyal, trustworthy, trusting, honest, strong, skilled, determined, hard-working…I could go on and on for a long time and barely scrape the surface! But the main point is that I've fallen hard for one of my best friends. Dang, I'm messed up…

At first, I really didn't like him. I found his arrogance to be annoying-and I still do-and believed that he needed to be knocked upside the head a couple of times. I never once, for quite a long time, believed that he and I would EVER get along at ALL. I'm still not completely certain how it happened, actually… Mostly because he and I had pretty much NOTHING in common.

I preferred lazing around to working, he preferred working; I hated studying, he didn't; I complain a lot, he accepts things-for the most part; I love to play pranks, he's too good for such shenanigans, as he'd call them; I'm a prankster, and he's…well, he wouldn't know how to pull a good prank if it was written right before his eyes. See? Different as night and day; the sun and the moon.

Pfft! I'm starting to sound like some kind of hopeless romantic, spouting poetic crap. Yeesh.

But anyways, I guess it just goes ta show ya that opposites really DO attract. Heh.

When I first met him, all I really wanted to do was punch his face in. Now…all I really want to do is pick him up and hold him in my arms, to hug him, and kiss him and…yeah…right… You get the idea of what I want to do to him…

But despite all that I want…he doesn't notice. He doesn't realize. That, or he doesn't care. But that can't be right, because he'd have confronted me by now if he knew…

He doesn't realize how much it hurts me, every time he brings up that I became an apprentice last. I don't like being considered as weak. It's one of my pet peeves. It hurts even more, however, if he brings up the time I was on Wuya's side. I just want to put that behind me. And it hurts, because I like to think that I've been forgiven… But then, I guess I'm probably never going to be forgiven… But it hurts… It hurts so much…

…He'd probably be disgusted by me… If he knew…that I loved him…and…I'm not sure what I'd do…if he hated me…so…because of that…I can't tell him…I can never tell him, how I feel…because… I don't want him to hate me… I'd hate myself if he hated me……

So all I can do…is watch him. Watch as the one I love grows up without knowing.

…It's better this way. Because I know he's straight. He shows no interest in boys other than as friends, but he DOES show interest in girls. Just take Katnappé, for example. Sure it hurts, but what can **I **do?

Sigh… It's going to be hard, watching him grow up, and find some girl… But, what can I do about it? I'm not willing to risk my friendship with him over these feelings of mine. I'm content with just his friendship.

…No, really. I am. Honest. Okay, fine. I'm lying through my teeth. Happy now?

It's just that friendship is all I'm going to get from him, no matter what I may wish for… So, the way I figure, if I can convince myself of this, I might be able to ignore the fact that I want to cry whenever he scolds me, I might be able to ignore these thoughts, these urges. I know it's stupid and doomed to fail, you don't need to tell me that! …I already know…

But can you really blame me? I mean… I'm practically going through hell because of him. Because of me feelings for him.

So I'm just going to keep on wishing, and hoping, that someday, maybe I won't feel like I'm having my heart ripped out everyday… Maybe… I won't hurt at all… I know it's not likely, but…

I just wish… That…he would notice me…that he wouldn't always be criticizing me, no matter **what** I do. That he'll acknowledge me. That he'll congratulate me without throwing his ego into it somewhere, to negate the effect.

That's all I really want from him. Is it too much to ask for…?

…I'm guessing that it is…because the chance of that happening is like the chance of Dojo not breaking out into a rash—or some other kind of reaction—every time a Shen Gong Wu activates, Wuya, Chase, and Jack becoming good guys of their own volition for no reason, Kimiko not always changing her clothing and hair style every day, and Clay never using another Texan metaphor for the rest of his life- and then deciding to go on a diet. All at the same time. None to likely, right? I think so too. Hence why I chose them.

Well… I guess I'll just keep living my life as best I can. No sense in giving up and committing suicide, or something—Omi would think I was a weakling and a coward. And I don't really want that. It would mean more belittlement if I survived. And being treated like some kind of petal thin piece of china that will break if just **_LOOKED_** at the wrong way. And I hate being treated like that. It makes me feel like an insect on display. I **_HATE_** that feeling.

So…suicide's out of the question. So I guess I'll just deal. I mean… It's not like it makes that much of a difference…right…?

Youko: So, what'd ya think? 'Twas my first Rai/Omi. I think it turned out pretty well. It sort of turned into a drabble, but… Oh well. I still think it's pretty good. Nice and angsty in some spots. Well, R&R!


	2. Clay's POV

Youko: Well, I've decided to write another chapter for this story. Not sure if I'll write another, but… Whatever. And for those of you worried about Rai committing suicide, re-read the first chapter. It clearly states that he's not gonna.

It'll be from Clay's P.O.V., this time. As an outsider looking in on the relationship between the two.

I like ta watch the others as they train, or do whatever it is they choose ta do, at times. They never really notice, an' if they do, they jus' kinda shrug it off as one of those weird things I do. Raimundo an' Omi, in particular.

I never let on, but I know that Rai's fallen for the little guy. Now he's pretty good at hidin' it, fer the most part, but I've seen the look in his eyes occasionally. The look of intense longin' an' desire that burns in their emerald depths. Nah, I don' like Rai in that kinda way. He's just a friend, is all. I jus' happen ta care a lot about my friends, I guess you could call me a bit of a mother hen. Heh.

An' I'm a bit worried 'bout Rai… He definitely cares a LOT about Omi, but… I jus' can't help but feel that it's a bit unhealthy.

An' it don' help any that Omi's more oblivious 'n a rock durin' a thunder storm when it comes ta these kinds of things. I can tell it's killin' Rai on the inside. I can see the pain in his eyes whenever Omi criticizes him.

I'm worried fer him. But Rai's tough, he can handle himself- for the most part, anyways. I jus' can't help but worry 'bout what might happen if-or when-Omi ever gets together with someone. What'll happen ta Raimundo then? I highly doubt that Rai would commit suicide—that's the coward's way out, an' Rai's no coward. An' he'd be mad as heck if I even IMPLIED that kinda thing.

Would he snap? Probably. Though he wouldn't show it for a while. He's actually pretty good at hidin' what he's really feelin' from everyone around him. Another of the reasons that it would take a while is that he wears a mask, to hide himself from everyone. I only know 'cuz I saw him without it one day. It honest to goodness scared me, more than anythin' else. Well, aside from my Granny Lily, anyways. (shudders) What scared me even more is that it just seamlessly slipped back into place. With seemingly no effort at all.

Now I'm not claimin' ta be some kinda psycho-whatever they're called, but the way I figure it, he musta' been hidin' behind it for so long, it jus' became habit. Somehow, I'm not so sure that he CAN remove it anymore. I think it's sorta become a part of him, by now. Which I actually find ta be pretty creepy.

But the fact remains, that I don' think Rai could stand seein' Omi grow up an' marry someone. I think that it'd drive him completely off his rocker. An' I fear that day. Because… I don' wanna see one of my best friends end up like that. I really don't.

And I hate this feeling of helplessness that comes, because I know as well as Rai obviously does, that nothin' can be done. Omi's so straight, ya jus' can't help but use him as a ruler because of it.

I hate it, but I can't do anythin' about it. All I can do is watch, as one of my best friends drives himself into insanity…

Youko: I thought that it probably wouldn't be as long as the first chapter. And yeah, I'm not actually going to pair Raimundo and Omi up. The world needs more unrequited love fics in it. Well, the Xiaolin Showdown category does, anyways. And this chapter CAN be considered as one-sided Clay/Rai…but it's not really supposed to be. But you may think what you wish. I can't exactly stop anyone, after all. grins Well anyways, R&R!


	3. Mixed POV

Youko: On a…sorta request, I have decided to sorta pair Omi and Kimiko up. This is set further on in the future.

I'm going to be switching P.O.V.'s every now and then. And be prepared for some major angsting.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

…Why does everything have to be so cruel to me…? I just saw Kimiko kissing Omi and saying that she loved him… But why…? I thought she already had a boyfriend… Oh…yeah… They broke up, didn't they…

…But… Why Omi…? I think… I…don't really know what I think… It hurts… It hurts so much… I just want it to stop! Why won't the pain stop? …I think this is what heartbreak feels like…

I don't like it… It feels like my heart's been ripped out of my chest… I just…I just want… it to stop… please, somebody, ANYbody, just…please…make it stop… please…just make the pain stop…

I locked myself in my room—yeah, Master Fung finally gave us separate rooms—so nobody would see, or hear, me cry.

…That was about a week ago… I haven't come out of my room since… Not to eat, not to train… Heck, I haven't even SLEPT since I locked myself away!

…But the pain still hasn't stopped… I'm still hurting… It still feels like there's a gaping hole that's been ripped in my chest…

…I finally came out of my room today…but I don't think anybody but Clay noticed that I was ever gone in the first place… Because Omi and Kimiko seemed too wrapped up in their relationship to have possibly noticed anything…

…Now the hole in my chest feels even worse… I shouldn't have left my room… At least Clay seems happy to see me… I think he might have a crush on me… But… I'm sure he knows why I locked myself away for so long… I'm just glad he hasn't brought it up yet…

Clay's P.O.V.

I'm glad that Rai's finally come outta his room. I was jus' about ta strangle Omi for bein' so dern blind an' careless about Rai's feelin's. It was horrible, listening to his heartbroken sobs that lasted late into the night. I jus' wanted ta go in there and hug him…but I knew that it wouldn't be a good idea…

I winced, as I saw Omi kiss his new girlfriend. RIGHT IN FRONT OF RAI.

I could see the look of heartbreak grow more intense in Raimundo's, now greatly dulled, hunter green eyes.

I could feel my own heart breakin' jus' by lookin' at him. His shoulders had slumped lower, his head lowered as well, an' I could see tears wellin' up in his eyes, ready ta spill over.

I didn't want ta see him cry. I never want ta see him cry…

I told Kimiko and Omi to knock it off, 'cuz they were makin' me lose my appetite. They sprung apart, grinnin' at me sheepishly.

"Oh… Sorry 'bout that, Clay." Kimiko apologized, still grinnin' sheepishly.

Then, she an' Omi finally noticed Rai's presence in the room.

"Well, it was that, an' y'all didn't notice that Rai's finally shown up."

They blinked in confusion at my statement.

"Raimundo was missing?" Omi asked in confusion.

I winced, and shot a quick glance at Rai, who looked, if at all possible, even more miserable than he was before, before getting' up an' runnin' off, probly back to his room, ta cry some more.

I glared at them.

"YES. He WAS missin'. Fer the past WEEK, ta be exact. An' y'all are tellin' me that neither of ya even NOTICED?"

I was boilin' mad at this point, I wanted nothin' more than ta wring their necks.

They had the grace ta look embarrassed.

"Uhh… Umm…-" they started, I cut 'em off.

"Nevermind. Jus' stay outta my way."

An' with that, I stalked off ta go an' try ta stop Rai from stayin' in his room for another week.

If you're wonderin'… Yeah. I do sorta have a crush on him. But I know that he only has eyes for Omi.

Raimundo P.O.V.

I fled, after Omi's comment. It just cemented my belief that I wasn't worth anything.

…He didn't even realize that I was missing… Not once…

…Do I really have any reason to keep living, anymore…? Why should I live on…? …When the one I love doesn't even realize that I exist, anymore…

Clay just entered my room. Huh, strange… I thought that I had locked my door… Guess not…

Third Person P.O.V.

Clay shut and locked Raimundo's door after he went in.

"…Go away…" Raimundo stated miserably, sending him a sullen glare.

Clay ignored this, and came closer.

"No. I won't." he answered, matching Raimundo's glare with a level gaze.

After a few moments, Raimundo averted his gaze, staring at the floor.

"…Why…?" he asked softly.

"Why what?" Clay in an soft, gentle tone, trying to get a response out of his heartbroken friend, as he sat next to him on the bed.

"…Why do you care…?" was the equally soft-spoken response.

Clay was a bit surprised by this response.

"…Why shouldn't I?" he asked, understandably confused.

"…I dunno…" Raimundo answered, gaze still on the floor.

Clay took a bit of a risk, and gently pulled the other boy closer to him, one arm wrapped loosely about the Brazilian boy's waist.

Raimundo, for his part, only tensed up for a few moments, during which Clay was certain he would pull away, but then, he just seemed to decide it wasn't worth doing anything about, and just slumped limply against his larger friend's side.

Raimundo's P.O.V.

…I just want to be left alone… I don't want to be touched… But…why does it feel so nice to be held by Clay like this…… I don't want to be touched… But…why does it feel so nice to be held by Clay like this…?

I feel…sorta…sleep…y…

…He's so nice 'n warm…

Clay's P.O.V.

I was glad that Rai decided ta let me hold onto him. I was actually pretty surprised when he jus' went limp against me, but I guess he jus' decided it wasn't worth pullin' away, or somethin'.

I was even more surprised when he snuggled up closer ta me.

I think he mumbled somethin' along the lines of "warm," before doin' so…

I think the lack of sleep is finally getting' to him. It's the only possible explanation for this odd behavior.

That. And the fact that he just fell asleep on me…


	4. General with a bit of Omi

Youko: Well, I've finally decided to continue this ficcy! Be glad, peeps! The plot bunnies finally attacked me again! …And JACinthebox, I'm still not sure if this is going to be a Claymundo, as of yet. It'll probably take a fair while before anything happens. And you know what's funny? This was supposed to be a story where it was the onesided Omi/Rai pairing through each of the dragons' eyes. But…as you can easily see, that didn't happen. Well, enough of my rant. Let's get started!

This will be from Third Person P.O.V.

Let's Get Started!

Clay looked down at his sleeping friend, and crush, silently, glad that Rai was FINALLY sleeping… It wasn't healthy to not sleep for so long…

He sighed, now all he had to do was get his heartbroken friend to eat something, and take care of himself again…but…unfortunately…that was easier said than done…

Clay sighed again, bringing one hand up to play with Raimundo's hair, feeling saddened once again as he felt how matted and tangled it was… Rai was really in a bad state to do this… He had always been very proud of his hair, doing his best to take good care of it… But…he was probably too upset to care anymore…

Once again, he sighed, suddenly wondering if this was going to become a pattern for him…

"Rai… Why are ya doin' this ta yerself, pardner…? I mean…I know ya love 'im, an' all…but… This…this jus' isn't healthy fer you… Though I'm sure ya already know that, eh, pardner?" he asked, smiling in a slightly bitter way.

Raimundo merely sighed in his sleep, and shifted slightly, not waking up. Not that Clay was surprised by this-Rai was probably going to be out like a light for the rest of the night, and maybe a fair portion of the next day, as well.

Clay sighed, beginning to really believe that he was sighing far too often…

Raimundo stirred a bit in his slumber.

"Nnn… 'Course I know…but I can' help i'…" he mumbled in his sleep, inadvertently answering Clay's question.

Clay glanced down at Raimundo in surprise, not having expected an answer of any sort.

Then, he chuckled; Rai was probably just talking in his sleep again. He was a light enough sleeper that he could hear what other's were saying even while sleeping, and yet a heavy enough sleeper so that he wouldn't wake up or even realize what he was saying. Kimiko had taken advantage of this fact several times, to get revenge for certain pranks that had been pulled on her…

But this played to Clay's advantage, at the moment. Sure, he felt bad about it, but… He really wanted to help his friend, and desperate times called for desperate measures…right…?

In Omi's P.O.V. (I don't really like him in this story…)

I was shocked, to say the least, when my friend, Clay, 'bit'(1) at me. I would never have expected my generally very calm, balanced, relaxed friend to get so very angry at me and Kimiko… I still do not understand it completely…

I also do not know how I could have possibly not noticed that Raimundo was not here… Oh well. I suppose it does not matter. Clay went after him, so therefore there is no reason for me to interfere. I will merely stay here and… 'socialize' with Kimiko.

Owari

Youko: ….I **_REALLY_** don't like Omi in this story… Darn… I made him into a total a$$hole… Oh well… I suppose he really would sort of react like that… Sorry for cutting off the Clay and Raimundo scene like I did…but…I honestly couldn't think of anything to make them do after that… So I decided to take a look into Omi's mind. And honestly…I almost wish I hadn't… I think I really will pair Clay and Rai up. Because as evidenced in the previous chapter, there ARE some feelings there, they're just not really noticed yet. And Rai's still getting over a complete and total heartbreak, so…yeah…it'll take a fair bit of time for anything to happen… And darn this is a long A/N…

Omi means 'snapped'

And yes, I did mean the 'socializing' part of it the way it's implied… Heehee…I'm such a perv… But you all can just imagine what happened. I'm not getting into details with a side pairing. There might be a bit of action between our two angsty boys…but that's not quite decided yet. Anyways, R&R PLEASE!


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